


Visceral

by IggyBlue



Series: V. [7]
Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Awkwardness, Fluff, M/M, Sexual References, dialogue-heavy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-31
Updated: 2016-05-31
Packaged: 2018-07-11 08:30:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7040905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IggyBlue/pseuds/IggyBlue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Proceeding from instinct rather than intellect: a visceral reaction.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Visceral

"So how did you get together with Bulma?"

Vegeta hesitated a bit. "Are you sure you want to know?"

"No I'm not, but it's killing me. I need to know."

"Well... she... the first time, I think she was drunk. I'd been training all day so I was feeling pretty relaxed. She came to my room-"

Kakarot groaned.

"-No, it's not bad. Just she came in and she was quiet. Which is unusual, of course. She just came up to me and took her top off. That was the end of that."

"You mean-"

"Yeah. We never said anything. It just happened."

"Did... you and her... did it go on for a while?"

"A few months, off and on, I suppose. It was never anything more than sex."

"Okay." Kakarot seemed satisfied. "Wait - so you never came on to her?"

"No. It was whenever she'd come to me."

"Huh. Why was that?"

Vegeta shrugged. "It was a means to an end. If she offered, I'd take it, it was kind of nice, but I could take care of that myself, anyway."

Kakarot cradled his jaw, shy, curling in on himself slightly.

"Why does it matter to you so much, anyway? You have a woman even now. I assume you're bedding her."

"It's... not really."

"You don't?"

"No. Not for months. Definitely not since I asked to be with you."

"Wow."

Usually the bold one of the two, Kakarot seemed retiring now. "Yeah. But before that, the last time I did, I was... I was thinking about you."

Vegeta's pulse raced in his ears as he imagined Kakarot naked, eyes closed, the prince himself in Kakarot's mind's eye, muscles rippling under the skin of his torso as his hips rocked violently. The thought pleased him.

"Anyway, did the idea not bother you?"

"I didn't really think about it."

"Oh." Kakarot appeared a little put off.

"How long ago was that...?"

"How long was I into you before I asked?"

"Yeah."

"I'm not sure. A few months at least. For the longest time I didn't even recognise what it was, why I was so interested in you. Why I was thinking about you all the time. Why I was dreaming about you... Hey Vegeta, do you ever dream about me?"

"Yeah, sometimes." He admitted.

"What kind of dreams?" Kakarot was grinning wickedly now, and Vegeta couldn't help but reflect the expression. "That's what I like to see." He said fondly.

"Hmm?"

"Your smile."

Vegeta groaned.

"No, why?" Kakarot came to holding his lover's forearms, as if halfway into an embrace. "What's wrong with that, huh?"

"Eugh, I don't know." This was too much. He looked off to the side, avoiding the man's direct gaze.

"See, there's nothing wrong with it. And it's my favourite thing ever."

"I'll have to control my expression, then."

"Aww, why?"

Vegeta shrugged, bashful. "Spite."

"Don't be silly." Kakarot pressed a bit closer, their chests brushing together, and Vegeta could feel himself flushing visibly. "I just want you to be happy."

Vegeta was paralysed; wanting to draw closer, yet feeling inclined to pull away entirely.

Kakarot's hand left his elbow to brush gently across his cheek, and he flinched away.

"I know you like it."

Vegeta looked elsewhere, heart racing, refusing to acknowledge the encompassing presence of Kakarot.

There was a pause as Kakarot considered him thoughtfully. "You've never done this before, have you?"

He shook his head.

"Then we can practice."

"Is it necessary." He bumbled out.

"I guess not, but... we both like it, why are you resisting?"

He shrugged, shaking his head, still looking elsewhere. He'd never felt so cornered in his life, despite all the times he'd been at terrible disadvantage in battle.

Kakarot's voice was soft. "Of all the things you've endured - all you put yourself through, even - and you can hardly bear this?"

"It's stupid."

"No it's not, just, I'm telling you that you can overcome it." Kakarot sighed, and used a finger to redirect Vegeta's downcast face as he pulled away to give the smaller man space. "Chin up, Geta."

Vegeta caught his own expression and brought it back to neutral as his arms fell to his side. Had he been giving Kakarot eyes? Surely not. No, he hadn't. He looked up into the huge eyes of Kakarot, who at such close proximity towered over him, nearly a head taller than himself. But it wasn't intimidating when Kakarot was such a teddy bear. Letting his gaze wander to Kakarot's shoulder, then bringing it back to the man's eyes, he couldn't help the words that came next. "Thank you."

Kakarot gave a tiny smile, and gradually pulled away. He couldn't let Vegeta disengage, it would be another defeat. A step back after one forward. Vegeta's eyes lingered on the grass. "Now that I think about it, I don't like the idea of you with her."

"Yeah?"

"Mm. It's bothersome in the way that she doesn't deserve you." He found himself mumbling.

"Aww." Kakarot cooed, taking hold of Vegeta's wrist, and entwining their fingers together.

~

"Ugh, it's so hot."

Vegeta let a puff of air from his lungs as he wiped sweat from his face, inwardly agreeing. The summer had thus far been long, but would soon be drawing to a close.

Kakarot jumped up from his slumped position in the ground. "Hey, I know! Let's go swimming! I loooove swimming!" He grinned eagerly, and shot off into the sky in search of a body of water in which to swim. Startled somewhat, mind foggy from the heat, Vegeta couldn't think of anything to do but follow him, so he did.

Kakarot landed on a mound of grass beside a beautiful, gleaming pool of clear water, and took in its beauty before turning to see Vegeta arrive behind him. "Come on! It'll be so good." He raced to pull his shirt off, and sat down to remove his boots.

Vegeta hadn't moved, and he looked up at him. "Don't tell me you swim clothed!"

"I-- no." Visibly flustered, Vegeta mentally clambered for a way out.

"Then get your gear off! Swimming feels good, it's too hot to worry about stuff. It's just us, anyway."

"That's exactly the problem."

Kakarot dropped one of his boots beside him, tilting his head up. "Don't worry about _me_. I don't care. I'd be naked all the time if not for social norms."

The look on Vegeta's face intensified as he resumed taking off his other boot, and standing to strip off his pants, revealing boxers underneath.

"I honestly don't know what you're worried about. We get undressed when fighting all the time. Come on," He beckoned, grabbing Vegeta's hand and pulling him toward the water. "I won't go in until you do. And I'm dying for a swim. Don't deprive me." He begged.

Vegeta snatched back his wrist. "Fine! Fine. Give me a second." He sighed back his nerves and wrenched off his shirt, followed by his boots.

"That's more like it!" Kakarot had been watching him keenly, almost longingly. His tone of voice didn't match the darkness that had come over his eyes."Make a splash."

"You first." The skin of Vegeta's torso burned under the shadow of Kakarot's gaze.

"No, you'll be annoyed if I splash you."

"Ugh!" Vegeta launched himself from the grass and into the water, Kakarot looking on and then following.

The water was cooling as it encompassed them. It had been a while since he'd been in deep water, but the movements of swimming came back naturally to him. Vegeta unfurled himself and reached for the surface. The air above was humid, but no longer unbearable. Kakarot was already darting about gracefully in the water, as if it were his natural habitat. Vegeta had never really swum for enjoyment before. Any time he'd been in the water was when he'd been thrown into it by an opponent.

Kakarot noticed him again. "Why aren't you swimming?"

"I'm in the water."

"Oh my God... don't tell me you don't know how to have fun!"

"Pssh." Vegeta swiped at the water so as to dismiss Kakarot, who yelped and laughed as he was splashed.

Kakarot swam closer. So close their chests almost touched. His voice was low. "Well I'm glad you do." Hands settled on Vegeta's hips, fingers toying with the top of his trousers. By the time he'd inhaled in shock Kakarot was off in the other direction, grinning back at him. "You-!"

"Hehehe. I thought you'd be angry. So catch me." Kakarot dove below the surface, and Vegeta ducked below almost immediately.

A surge of strength though his legs and he was nearly on top of Kakarot. He grabbed an ankle, his prey twisting and pulling it toward himself. He grabbed a wrist, and they were face-to-face, suspended in the clear, fresh water. Vegeta grinned, squeezed the wrist in his grip just enough to hurt. Kakarot was staring transfixed at his lips, he could see the steady gaze.

Not yet.

He pushed the wrist from his grasp and made for the surface, noting Kakarot's grin as the man breached the water. "You tease."

Vegeta grinned back. "You started it."

They each moved about languidly in the water for a while, motions something of a push-and-pull toward and away from one another as if in mutual chase. In time the game seemed to melt away with the worst of the sun's heat as they gathered at one side of the lake.

Kakarot peered down at his fingers. "I'm getting pruney." And with that he made for a lip at the edge of the lake, climbing up onto a rock but quickly jumping off onto some nearby grass. "Tssh! Ah. Hothothot."

When Vegeta finally joined him, he was laid back on the grass, fingers laced behind his head, dazing contentedly. An eye opened as he sat, then Kakarot was propping himself up on his elbows, gazing intently. "You look amazing." He crooned fondly.

Vegeta looked out over the water with a huff, heart gaining a familiar, uncomfortable pace in his chest.

"What's up, hmm?"

"What do you mean."

"You always pull away."

Vegeta cringed slightly. 

"You touched Bulma." Kakarot said pointedly.

"Yeah I didn't like her though."

A tiny smile grew on Kakarot's face.

Vegeta sighed, inwardly flustered but hiding it under a faux exasperation. "We've been doing this for, what, how many months now? It really goes without saying."

"Yeah I know. Just. This makes it real for me. It means a lot."

"You are easily pleased." Vegeta chided.

"Maybe, yeah." He was still smiling that bashful smile that made Vegeta himself decidedly pleased, and he realised that it wasn't all that bad to take joy from the little things. Gathering all the courage he knew he had, Vegeta wormed one of his fingers to entwine with Kakarot's. It was the first of five steps toward holding Kakarot's hand, of his own volition.

"Are you trying to kill me?" Kakarot whispered.

He looked around at the man who was now lying back, still gloriously half-naked. "Hmm?"

Kakarot squeezed his finger. "You're gonna make my heart explode."

"Stop."

"Hehe, sorry."

Some time passed as they relaxed there together, Kakarot lying back and Vegeta sitting beside him, their index fingers linked.

~

"You know, Bulma's holding a little party at Capsule Corp this Saturday."

"I see."

"Did you plan on joining in?"

"You really are optimistic, aren't you?"

"I like to have my cake and eat it too."

"Right."

"The cake is you."

Vegeta gave him a look.

"Not funny?" Kakarot was grinning his stupid grin.

"Not funny."

"Aww. I'll be lonely."

"Lonely with what, how many dozen friends you have?"

"Lonely for Saiyan princes."

"Pssh."

"I might have to come visit you."

"Don't be suspicious about it, if you must."

"No, I won't."

"The women always have their eyes on us."

"Yeah. They're pretty perceptive."

"Damn them."

There was a lull between them. "I really wish you would join me, just sometimes."

Vegeta crossed his arms. He wouldn't back down, not for anyone. "You'll just have to deal with it."

"I know, it's just," Kakarot was picking at grass strands bashfully. "There's something so sexy about you when it's not just us. Like, you command attention. Everybody has an opinion on you. And you couldn't care less. I think that's so cool."

Vegeta deliberately ignored the word that he knew would bring colour to his cheeks. "Huh. But what do you care what the others think?"

"I don't know. It is what it is." Kakarot hugged himself slightly. "Do you care what _I_ think?"

This caught him off-guard. "...I haven't thought about it. Why do you ask?"

"I dunno, just wondering."

"For what it's worth, if I did care about anybody's opinion, it would be yours that I cared about."

Kakarot looked over, his face blooming in a small, grateful smile.

**Author's Note:**

> I've been chopping and changing this all up. Lots more to come. But what to keep, what to remove? The headcanon keeps morphing. That's why this is taking so long to update. I'm not sure it's even making sense in a linear fashion. Hope so. Your mind can fill in any blanks. 
> 
> Thank you for all the wonderful feedback you've been giving, it's been way more than I expected.


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